Why Junior Achievement? Program Results Speak For Themselves: Alumni report greater career satisfaction, financial intelligence, entrepreneurship.

• Position: Junior Achievement

In the spring of 2016, Junior Achievement USA conducted a survey of a scientifically valid sample of more than 700 JA alumni. The intent of this research is to better understand the impact JA has on the lives of the more than 100 million people who have gone through JA programs since the organization's founding in 1919. JA alumni were asked about a variety of topics, including educational attainment, career satisfaction, financial capability, income levels, and business ownership. These results were then compared to general population data from a variety of sources, including the US Census, the US Department of Education, and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.

Education

Related to educational attainment, 93 percent of JA alumni graduated high school or have a GED. This is compared to a high school/GED rate of 88 percent in the general US population, using 2015 US Census data. When it comes to higher education, 42 percent of JA alumni have a four-year degree, compared to 32 percent of the general US population.

This means JA alumni are nearly 30 percent more likely to possess a four-year degree. At the same time, 20 percent of JA alumni earn an advanced degree, compared to 12 percent of the US population, meaning JA alumni are 67 percent more likely to obtain an advanced degree.

Career

On the career front, 62 percent of JA alumni are currently working in positions that are "manager status or above." The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 58.7 percent of Americans are paid hourly wages, compared to 38 percent of JA alumni. In terms of career aspiration, 30 percent of JA alumni credit JA with influencing their career choice, while one in five JA alumni say they work in the same career field as the JA volunteer who taught them as students. Additionally, 88 percent of JA alumni report they are satisfied with their careers, compared to 48.7 percent of the general public, according to The Conference Board.

Finances

When asked about the impact JA has had on their lives, 30 percent of JA alumni say it helped them learn to better manage their money. In fact, 90 percent of JA alumni are confident in their ability to manage their finances. An example of this may be demonstrated in how JA alumni approach paying for college.

According to the Institute for College Access & Success, 69 percent of graduating college seniors are burdened with student loans. Comparatively, 55 percent of JA alumni who went to college took out student loans.

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